Results 2,921-2,940 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Animal Breeding Regulations: Animal Breeding Regulations (24 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. Work is underway in drafting an amendment to the Control of Dogs Acts and I hope to publish my proposals in the near future. The draft Bill proposes to give statutory effect to the recommendations of the Working Group that had been established to review the management of dog breeding establishments. The Working Group recommended that...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (24 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together. The Government decided to broaden the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on all non-principal private residences. The charge is set at €200 per dwelling and payment must be made by 30 September 2009. The most important exemption under the Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 is for principal private residences....

Written Answers — Local Authority Staff: Local Authority Staff (24 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The Department of Finance has recently approved a delegated sanction to my Department for implementation of the general moratorium on the filling of public sector posts in the Local Authority Sector, on the condition that the overall staffing levels in the local authority sector are to be reduced significantly by the end of 2010 in adherence with the Government's Policy on Staffing and...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The charge on all non-principal private residences, designed to broaden the revenue base of local authorities, is an annual charge and it will be used to support the provision of local services. The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 exempts certain types of property and owners from the charge. The most important exemption under the Act is for a person's sole or main residence. However,...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The Government decided to broaden the revenue base of local authorities by introducing a charge on all non-principal private residences. The charge is set at €200 per dwelling and payment must be made by 30 September 2009. The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 exempts certain types of property and owners from the charge. The most important exemption under the Act is for a person's sole...

Written Answers — Overseas Development Aid: Overseas Development Aid (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The agreement we hope to reach at Copenhagen will commit governments to both mitigating future climate change and adapting to the climate change already in the system. Even if we reduce global emissions along an ambitious trajectory, we will still experience climate change impacts, which will have far reaching consequences for millions of people. In making the enormous transitions required...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: In general, planning permission must be obtained for the erection of an antenna support structure or mast. Under Article 6 and Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, certain classes of development carried out by a statutory undertaker authorised to provide a telecommunications service are, subject to specified conditions, exempted development for the purposes of the...

Written Answers — Natural Heritage Areas: Natural Heritage Areas (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: In 2005, my Department put in place a series of measures to address the findings in the Judgment of the European Court of Justice, of 21 September 1999, in Case C-392/96. The measures also resulted in the withdrawal of further legal action against Ireland in Case C-294/03. Under the Planning and Development Regulations, 2001 peat extraction was exempt from the requirement for planning...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together. My Department is currently compiling the information available on the status of the various protected species and habitats at Pollardstown Fen and will forward the information to the Deputy as soon as possible. Scientific monitoring of the effects of the motorway development was commissioned by the National Roads Authority and...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Ireland signed the Aarhus Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters on 25 June 1998. Progress towards ratification of the Convention is closely aligned with work at EU level and, in that context, the European Union has adopted two Directives as part of the ratification process for the Convention. These deal...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Part X of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, deals with EIA. The corresponding secondary legislation is part 10 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. Pursuant to the provisions of section 176 of the Act and of Part 10 of the Regulations, an environmental impact statement (EIS) and an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is mandatory in respect of the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: I have informed Clare County Council that I am prepared to approve borrowing of up to €5.9 million in 2009 in respect of a number of water services schemes that are completed or currently in progress in the County. The Council indicated in their submission to my Department that any borrowing necessary for the Broadford scheme will not be required until 2010, at which stage the matter will...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Under Article 6 and Schedule 2, Part 1, Class 44, of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, drilling of a borehole for the purpose of providing a domestic water supply, or an approved group water supply scheme, is exempt from the requirement to obtain planning permission (subject to the exceptions set out in Article 9 of the Regulations). Development by a local authority does not...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (23 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The Ballymore Eustace Wastewater Treatment Plant is included for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 under the Serviced Land Initiative measure. In April 2009, following a review of the Serviced Land Initiative in light of developments in the economy at large, and in the housing market in particular during 2008, and having regard to the oversupply of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: In 2008, all serving retained firefighters were given the option of either joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS), which is contributory for all reckonable service, and receiving a pension and lump sum on retirement, or remaining outside the LGSS in order to avail of the existing gratuity arrangements for retained firefighters, which are non-contributory. All retained...

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Article 92 of the Local Elections Regulations 1995 provides that the relevant local authority returning officer is responsible for retaining the marked copies of the register of electors used at polling stations at a local election. Article 92(3) of the Regulations requires the returning officer to retain the marked copies of the register for a period of 6 months after the election and then...

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: I refer to my reply to Question No. 1028 of 16 September 2009. The position is unchanged.

Written Answers — Special Areas of Conservation: Special Areas of Conservation (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Contracts of sale in this case have not been executed on my behalf. Having regard to available budgetary resources, priority is being given under the scheme this year to those wishing to sell their interest in the 32 raised bog sites which were nominated for designation as Special Areas of Conservation in 1999. For these sites, the derogation given by the Government, which allowed the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: The Fethard and Burncourt Regional Water Supply Scheme is included for funding under my Departments Water Services Investment Programme 2007 – 2009 at an estimated cost of €14.5 million. South Tipperary County Council's contract documents for the scheme are awaited in my Department.

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (22 Sep 2009)

John Gormley: Section 13(1)(a)(ii) of the Local Elections (Disclosure of Donations and Expenditure) Act 1999, as amended, provides that an elected member of a local authority shall, within 90 days next following the polling day at an election, furnish in person to the local authority concerned, a statement in writing of all election expenses (whether paid or not) incurred. Section 13(1)(a)(iii) of the Act...